Democrat Alex Padilla was elected California's next top elections official, as the outgoing state senator beat first-time candidate Pete Peterson in a race that was too close to call until Wednesday morning.For full Election Night coverage, along with real-time updates and results, join our Live WirePadilla took 53 percent of the 5 million ballots counted - while millions more still were to be tallied, his margin was large enough that Republican Peterson, at 47 percent, could not catch up.During a civil campaign, Padilla emphasized his experience in Sacramento. After graduating with an engineering degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he has represented a Los Angeles district for the past eight years. Termed out of that office, he won a statewide election in his first attempt.As secretary of state, he vowed to register more voters through novel technologies, make it easier to register a business, and overhaul the state website that lets people analyze political fundraising patterns.Peterson is executive director of Pepperdine University's Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership.Though he ran a spirited campaign focused on what he cast as the broken bond between the government and the people, he could not overcome Padilla, whose name recognition was higher and funding far greater.Democratic incumbent Debra Bowen was termed out of office.--Inside KCRA.com:Politics sectionCandidate statements: 'In Their Own Words'Full election results

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Democrat Alex Padilla was elected California's next top elections official, as the outgoing state senator beat first-time candidate Pete Peterson in a race that was too close to call until Wednesday morning.

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Padilla took 53 percent of the 5 million ballots counted - while millions more still were to be tallied, his margin was large enough that Republican Peterson, at 47 percent, could not catch up.

During a civil campaign, Padilla emphasized his experience in Sacramento. After graduating with an engineering degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he has represented a Los Angeles district for the past eight years. Termed out of that office, he won a statewide election in his first attempt.

As secretary of state, he vowed to register more voters through novel technologies, make it easier to register a business, and overhaul the state website that lets people analyze political fundraising patterns.

Peterson is executive director of Pepperdine University's Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership.

Though he ran a spirited campaign focused on what he cast as the broken bond between the government and the people, he could not overcome Padilla, whose name recognition was higher and funding far greater.